Diets and allergies

❃ Diets and allergies

食物アレルギーがあります。 [ Shokumotsu arerugii ga arimasu. ]: I have a food allergy.
ピーナッツが食べられません。 [ Piinattsu ga taberaremasen. ]: I cannot eat peanuts.
甲殻類のアレルギーです。 [ Koukakurui no arerugii desu. ]: I am allergic to shellfish.
これに豚肉は入っていますか。 [ Kore ni butaniku wa haitte imasu ka. ]: Does this contain pork?
私はベジタリアンです。 [ Watashi wa bejitarian desu. ]: I am vegetarian.
肉と魚は入れないでください。 [ Niku to sakana wa irenaide kudasai. ]: Please do not include meat or fish.
スープに魚のだしは入っていますか。 [ Suupu ni sakana no dashi wa haitte imasu ka. ]: Does the soup have fish broth (dashi)?
卵なしで作れますか。 [ Tamago nashi de tsukuremasu ka. ]: Can you make it without eggs?
お酒は飲めません。 [ Osake wa nomemasen. ]: I cannot drink alcohol.
これにお酒は使われていますか。 [ Kore ni osake wa tsukawarete imasu ka. ]: Is alcohol used in this?
これは辛いですか。 [ Kore wa karai desu ka. ]: Is this spicy?
あまり辛くしないでください。 [ Amari karaku shinaide kudasai. ]: Please don't make it too spicy.
マヨネーズは抜いてください。 [ Mayoneezu wa nuite kudasai. ]: Please remove the mayonnaise.
ソースは別にしてください。 [ Soosu wa betsu ni shite kudasai. ]: Please put the sauce on the side.
グルテンフリーのメニューはありますか。 [ Gurutenfurii no menyuu wa arimasu ka. ]: Do you have a gluten-free menu?
ヴィーガン対応の料理はありますか。 [ Viigan taiou no ryouri wa arimasu ka. ]: Do you have vegan-friendly dishes?
油は植物性ですか。 [ Abura wa shokubutsusei desu ka. ]: Is the oil vegetable-based?
原材料のリストを見せてもらえますか。 [ Genzairyou no risuto o misete moraemasu ka. ]: Can I see the list of ingredients?
乳製品を食べると具合が悪くなります。 [ Nyuuseihin o taberu to guai ga waruku narimasu. ]: I get sick if I eat dairy products.
鶏肉は食べられます。 [ Toriniku wa taberaremasu. ]: I can eat chicken.

Cultural notes

Navigating food allergies and strict dietary restrictions in Japan can be quite challenging due to the traditional culinary reliance on hidden ingredients like "dashi" (fish broth) or soy sauce (which contains wheat). If you have a severe allergy, you must communicate this clearly to the restaurant staff. The Japanese word for allergy is "Arerugii" (アレルギー). For instance, saying "Piinattsu no arerugii ga arimasu" (ピーナッツのアレルギーがあります - I have a peanut allergy) is vital for your safety. Vegetarianism and veganism are concepts that are growing steadily in Japan, but they are still not entirely mainstream in everyday traditional eateries. If you simply say "Watashi wa bejitarian desu" (私はベジタリアンです - I am a vegetarian), the chef might still serve you a vegetable dish flavored with fish stock or sprinkled with bonito flakes, as "meat" is often strictly interpreted as beef, pork, or chicken, excluding fish. Therefore, it is always safer to be very specific: "Niku to sakana wa irenaide kudasai" (肉と魚は入れないでください - Please do not include meat or fish). When you want to remove a specific ingredient from a standard dish, the magic cultural word to use is "Nuki" (抜き), which means "without" or "omitted." For example, if you don't like mayonnaise, you can say "Mayoneezu nuki de onegaishimasu" (マヨネーズ抜きでお願いします - Without mayonnaise, please). Asking for a gluten-free menu ("Gurutenfurii no menyuu" - グルテンフリーのメニュー) is becoming easier in major international cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, but in rural areas, you will likely need to ask to see the ingredient list ("Genzairyou no risuto" - 原材料のリスト). Having your dietary restrictions written down in Japanese on a small card to hand to the waiter is the most effective and polite strategy to ensure a safe meal.

✣

← Fast food Contents Bill and takeaway →

Other sections

Greetings Politeness and apologies Aizuchi and reactions Understanding and repeating Introducing yourself Basic questions Numbers and classifiers Time and dates Requests and permissions Speech levels Asking directions Location Station and tickets IC cards Train and Shinkansen Subway Bus Taxi Airport Driving and cycling Restaurant Ordering food Izakaya Fast food Bill and takeaway Convenience stores Supermarket and street stalls Clothes shopping Shopping and tax-free Checkout and refunds Hotel and Ryokan Room and facilities Onsen and public baths Check-out and lockers AirBnb and rules Wi-Fi and SIM Bank and money Post and administration Lost and found General health Describing symptoms Pains and body Pharmacy Hospital and clinic Emergencies Natural disasters Police and accidents Travel problems Family Work and colleagues Feelings and emotions Hobbies and pop culture Tourism and impressions Weather and seasons Invitations and outings Opinions and refusals Visiting someone's home Farewells and contact